Fish Eater's Hook
by OddKitty
Summary: In this story there is no Flounder, no Sebastian, or other quirky side-kick to annoy the hell out of you...Unless you count Rock Lee, and that’s hardly fair. A little Mermaid a la Naruto story with a difference. OMG ORIGINAL PLOT! SasuNaruSasu.
1. Prologue

**A/N:** _Originally when I'd had this little idea I WAS sitting and watching Disney's Little Mermaid, true, and I thought to myself, "What a clever idea this would be! It'll be hilarious!" and I was all set to do another contrived "This character is Ariel...blah blah blah" Kind of story. Then I read this really poor re-write of Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" with Naruto and Sasuke playing the characters. In some places, Sasuke was even referred to as "her" or "she". Honestly, the only thing missing from that story was the musical numbers. Even the dialogue was stolen. _

_So I decided, to hell with it, I'm making something original. And then of course, the story ran away from me and is what you see now. It's a start...if I get a few good reviews, I may even continue the idea. I certainly want to, it's my first multi-chaptered Naruto fanfiction (well, it WILL be multi-chaptered, hopefully) so far. So please, be honest and please R&R. I'm really interested in your opinions!_

* * *

Once upon a time there was a sea-side kingdom. And in that kingdom was a little prince. This prince was loved and cherished by all his people, but by none so much as his very own mother, the Queen.

The queen would spend her days with the little prince and his brother, telling them stories, singing songs and playing with them, teaching them about the world around them, of their duties and responsibilities. And she cherished them, protected them, and loved them.

The little prince loved his brother, but he adored his mother. She was his one shining light and the holder of all knowledge.

Each night before he went to sleep, his mother would tell him stories of magical far-off kingdoms and heroes and princesses and dragons and all manner of fairy beings.

However, it was the very last story that she told the prince, which was the one that stuck with him the most. Because she never got to finish the story.

Not long after the prince's eighth birthday his whole family was slain, his brother disappeared and suddenly he was the ruling monarch of their fair kingdom, guided by the wise hands of his manservant. He was forced to grow up, much faster then nature had intended, turning him into a serious, solemn child who took his responsibility to heart.

But he never forgot the tale she'd told him and as soon as he was old enough to read all the words himself, he found the book and finished it. And he never forgot the story, never stopped believing in this one fairy tale because his mother had told him it was real. And he'd seen it for himself. He'd seen the little sea coins with the starfish imprints lying upon the surface and he heard on windy nights the mourning cry of the mermaids' song…no doubt singing the loss of their fair princess.

He knew they lived for three hundred years and he was almost positive that he'd once seen one swimming at the mouth of the river that wound its way past the broadside of the castle he called home. He knew they had no tears to cry and he knew they had no immortal soul. All except one; that little mermaid that had become air.

There were such things as mermaids…he _knew it…_

* * *

**Fish Eater's Hook**

* * *

Hatake Kakashi, royal steward was leaning propped against the wall as he watched the stiff back of his charge as the Prince made his way through the research reports that had been delivered that morning. Silence reigned in the study, broken only by the monotonous tick of the grandfather clock that kept track of every passing, awkward moment. There was the rustle of pages and Sasuke shifted in his chair. There was an overwhelming sense of pressure within that quiet room. It was palpable and the atmosphere was poised, as if on a knife's edge. The tension would have to snap and explode or fizzle out. But either way, right now was unbearable. Kakashi made his way over to the desk and rested a gentle hand against Sasuke's stiff shoulder, noting it tense at the contact.

"You know Sasuke, maybe it's time to give up on this," Kakashi remarked carefully. Sasuke brought a hand to his face and rested his head against it, giving an exhausted sigh. He rubbed at his temples as he let the papers settle back onto the desk. Kakashi squeezed the shoulder in his grasp affectionately before letting his hand fall away.

"Kakashi…maybe you're right…" He murmured. "Maybe…I should just giv-"

"Your highness!" The loud shout preceded the slamming of the study door and Rock Lee appeared in his huntsmen's green and sporting an incredulous but excited look, panting heavily, his face flushed.

"What news do you have?" Sasuke snapped in barely contained agitation. If this were another false alarm…

"Contact, you Highness! Actual contact!"

Immediately Sasuke launched himself to his feet. Lee turned on his heel and almost ran down the hall, his Monarch close behind as they made their way through the labyrinthine passages of the castle. Lee dashed ahead of Sasuke once they'd reached the courtyard and pulled open the door to the royal carriage for his sovereign and shut it swiftly behind him before clambering up into the driver's box as they pulled out.

The journey was swift and tense and Sasuke was sitting between disbelief and an excruciating sense of hope. For him the trip felt like it took a century and he burst through the door of the carriage before it had even come to a complete stop, startling the men on the dock.

Lee quickly joined him at his side to escort him to a local fishing boat. They walked up the gangplank and the ship's crew got up from their lazing positions to bow at the visiting royal. Sasuke brushed off the formality with a wave of his hand and followed Lee to the cabin room.

Inside was a young man lying on a low bunk covered in a thick looking blanket though still shivering under the heavy weight. The captain was standing beside the man with a perplexed expression. He looked up at Sasuke's approach before returning his gaze to his crew member.

"Tell me," Sasuke demanded simply.

There was a pause as the captain continued to look over his man before he turned his amused attention to the young monarch. In a gruff voice he began his story.

"Rough weather last night. This lucky bugger here got tossed off the side…not that that's particularly lucky. But at any rate, we'd counted him as lost until we'd come into port. There was shouting on the dock. Turns out someone'd tied him to the figurehead of the ship." The man chuckled as he relived this morning's events.

"Mind you, Matty here didn't find it quite sa funny when we was pulling him off, but I think he was at least relieved to still be alive, though looks like he might have some struggle yet. S'got a fever something fierce, but we've got a good doctor mate coming to see him. Anyway, when we pulled him down, we noticed someone'd drawn on his belly. Silly little picture of a clam poking its tongue out."

"That could have been done by anyone!" Sasuke interjected.

"Yeah, we thought something like that. I mean it's not unusual for us each to prank one another, but he'd been over the side of the boat for six hours after that storm and no one admits to doing it. It was in this really strange substance that was a right bugger to get off, too. Anyway, that's not what you're really here to see. Come, follow me." The captain turned abruptly and head back out onto the deck then made his way to the dock. Sasuke followed and peered up at the bow of the ship.

The figurehead was a traditional mermaid carving, but someone had taken to it with a strange black substance, giving it a black eye, moustache and crazy eyebrows among other things. But the vandalism extended further past the figurehead and trailed out in both directions and down to the hull of the ship. In the same black substance were drawn swirls, bubbles, crude depictions of different kinds of fish and in very clear letters was a message painted messily on the side, fingerprints clear in the design.

"Hn…"

Sasuke quirked an eyebrow at the message and turned to the bemused captain.

"Return to Sender, lots of love?" he asked. The captain just shrugged and dug in a pocket. He pulled out a cylindrical object and held it out for Sasuke to take.

"What's this?"

"Dunno, haven't been game enough to open it to own the truth. Matty had it stuffed down his pants. Said he grabbed it off whoever was stringing him up on the figurehead…

"Some of our crew might have been able to pull such a prank like that on maybe a calm day while Matty was drunk, but it was raging last night and everyone was just glad to put up to bed rather then hang around acting dangerous-like. And we'd never draw all over this ship. It's our home. We take pride in her and we look after her. And we were all pretty cut when we'd thought we'd lost Matty over the side. He's been with this crew since he was old enough to tie his own shoes.

"He's lucky. Most men who go over don't never come back. So whoever saved him, we're grateful to, even if they did draw on the boat. It'll come off eventually, and one life's saved."

The captain shrugged one last time before excusing himself and climbing back aboard. Sasuke turned and made his slow way over to the carriage and leaned against the side as he eyed off the cylinder. It was clearly some kind of capsule and Sasuke cautiously began prying at the seal. Inside, he was surprised to find a slightly damp piece of parchment and when he tipped the container out, a tumble of black and white pearls of varying shapes and colours fell into his open palm as well as a rusty hook, a piece of broken shell and a shark tooth.

Sasuke unrolled the parchment only to find a page that he'd read countless times before. It was a page from Hans Christian Andersen's _The Little Mermaid_.

"_You, poor little mermaid, have tried with your whole heart to do as we are doing; you have suffered and endured and raised yourself to the spirit-world by your good deeds; and now, by striving for three hundred years in the same way, you may obtain an immortal soul."_ Sasuke murmured the familiar words and rolled the parchment up, he put half the pearls he'd found back in the tube and put the tube in his jacket pocket.

oOo

"Oh, damn! Where the hell did my capsule go?" Naruto swore loudly as he dived through the currents and raced back to the village. On top of everything that had happened tonight, he'd just gone and lost his capsule, which, other then having his life savings stored in it, also had some of his prized possessions. Needless to say, Naruto was not a happy little fish.

"I mean seriously, 'where's the harm in just watching the ship?' she says. 'It's only a little storm' she says! Then when it gets a bit windier, she just goes and buggers off! Just leaves poor little old me out there on my own with a drowning fishermen staring at me!" Naruto ranted to himself. "And what was I supposed to do? Just let him drown?! This is _so_ going to turn around and bite me in the fins, I can just feel it!"

Naruto kicked his tail to gain a burst of speed as he neared the gates of his village. In front, waiting by the open gates was a mermaid with bright pink hair that flowed around her with each current of water. Her tail was a darker rose colour and upon her brow was a small pearl-and-gold crown. She waved happily at Naruto as he approached and gave him a sweet little smile. Naruto scowled in response as he approached crossing his arms.

There was an awkward pause before Naruto sighed. "You're lucky I love you, Sakura, or else I would totally get you back for that," he warned menacingly.

Sakura just snorted delicately and dismissed his words. "Like you'd do anything, that'd be treason!" she countered. Naruto scrunched up his face before poking his tongue out at her and swimming past her into the welcoming streets of the village, leaving the princess to trail after him.

"What's your fascination with that world anyway?" Naruto threw over his shoulder as he made his way toward his little grotto that sat on the outskirts of town.

"Well, I've never been up there, and all the other princesses have…and you go up all the time, so it's not like you'd understand how I feel," Sakura returned drawing alongside the blonde as they neared his home.

"That's not true! Hinata-chan hasn't been up yet, she's still another year away from being allowed up…and anyway, I don't _go up all the time_ and I swear to any god that's listening if you ever say that where someone can hear you again, I will hit you, treason be damned," Naruto warned. Strictly speaking he wasn't actually allowed, _as it were_, to go to the surface world, but few of the villagers would be worried if he suddenly disappeared. But they'd be mighty pissed off if he ended up leading the human world to finding them.

_Hm…maybe drawing all that graffiti on the side of that boat wasn't so bright of an idea… _

Naruto turned in to Sakura's petulant glare and cringed. He kept forgetting how violent her temper was. After a moment, Sakura's face crumpled and her shoulders sagged.

"Don't you just…sometimes wonder…what it's like up there? Out in the sun, no fear of sharks or nets? Where it's so bright up there, even at night and they come up with so many different things, all those beautiful shiny things that get left here by their dead boats? Don't you ever just wish that…you could belong to that kind of a world?"

Naruto breathed a sigh as he looked at his friend. Sakura…he loved her, would do anything for her. He'd give up his life to protect her and he knew her, like he knew himself. In so many ways they were similar, though Sakura was never willing to see that. Yes, they were friends, but it was an unequal relationship. Sakura had many friends, and while she liked Naruto well enough, he wasn't her closest friend, but she was one of his first and only friends, shunned as he was by most of the village.

He swam over to her and touched her cheek gently, bringing her attention back from the roof of the sea. "To belong to any world…that's my dream. I understand, I really do, Sakura, but the answer isn't necessarily up there. But yeah…sometimes I just think, why not? And I get so far that I'm at the mouth of a river or at the shore and just thinking of climbing out and walking, like a human onto the beach…but…this is my village, and all my important people are here, and I want to protect you guys so I just ease back and forget it for that moment."

Sakura smiled softly at Naruto before turning and making her way back to the palace, waving over her shoulder as she left wordlessly.

_Great, now I'm feeling all morose. Maybe I should visit Iruka._

Iruka always cheered him up. When they'd first met, they hadn't got along at all, but knowing each other in the last few years had changed things and Iruka was now one of his important people, one of the first to look at him and not see a demon or a monster. He was also part of the royal palace, a private tutor to the princesses and a sort of Advisor to the Hokage and had an even worse temper than Sakura when he was riled up. It took a lot to get under his skin but Naruto was one of the few that did that on a regular basis.

But it felt good to be yelled at by him, because Iruka never yelled out of hate, but usually out of frustration because of Naruto's tendency to do extremely stupid and brash things. It sort of felt that Iruka cared for him, and was different to being yelled at by the villagers.

And Naruto _was_ starting to feel restless, so maybe some Dolphin baiting was exactly what his mood called for. He snickered as a series of pranks suddenly sprang up in his mind's eye and with a flick of his tail, he followed in the direction that Sakura had gone, intent on playing with his surrogate father.

oOo

"Iruka sensei…I'm _bored_!" Naruto complained for the fifth time as he sat in his corner, watching as Iruka went over some student's testing results. Iruka looked up from his grading to give Naruto a sharp glare to be quiet, still angry over the incident with the squid. The ink was still suffusing through his office.

"Go study then, or play with Gaara or something. He seems to like you, and we want to keep our visiting dignitaries happy," Iruka murmured as he rechecked the calculations on one of the tests.

"He's busy with the Hokage and he's also kinda creepy…I like him. He's like me."

"That's nice, now be quiet or go away, I've got to finish this marking."

"But Iruka sensei! I'm _hungry!" _

"Well go buy something!"

"I lost all my money last night, but!"

Iruka looked up at Naruto suddenly and narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "…how? What were you doing that you lost all your money?"

Naruto stared widely in a display on innocence. "…Nothing in particular…" He responded with a nervous grin. Iruka slapped a hand over his eyes and heaved a sigh.

"Naruto no baka! Alright, fine. I'm nearly done here anyway, I can finish this later. How about I shout you to some food, eh?"

"I love you Iruka sensei!" Naruto cried and quickly tackled the older man in a hug, sending them both tumbling to the floor. Iruka swatted at the young boy until he loosened his grip and the pair made their way down to the kitchens for something to eat.

It was as Naruto was picking stray strands of meat from between his teeth with a fish bone that the door was thrown open. The kitchen staff jumped in shock and bent low at the waist. Iruka also bowed as Naruto stayed lounging against the table, idly flicking his fins.

Tsunade-Hime, leader of their village stormed into the room, her retainer, Shizune swift on her heels and her two bodyguards a step behind. She pointed furiously at Naruto, barely able to contain her rage.

"You!" She yelled and Naruto pointed at himself with a "who me?" expression. "You! My office, NOW!"

And with that she turned and left the room in a swirl of fins. Naruto raised his eyebrows and turned to look at Iruka, who just shook his head disapprovingly and slapped Naruto across the back of his skull.

"Go, before you land yourself in more hot water," he cautioned before he left for his own office, hoping that Naruto would heed his words.

Naruto sighed deeply. Geez, it hadn't even been two hours since his return to the village and already trouble had followed him! He reluctantly made his way to the higher tiers of the main palace building, taking his time enjoying the views from the windows.

The guards on the office door gave him a smug look and he scowled in response as he pushed his way into the office. Sakura was sitting looking demure and apologetic in the corner and next to her was Ino, her friend and fellow princess. Her expression mirrored those of the guards outside and when Sakura mouthed, "I'm sorry!" to him, he knew from where the trouble stemmed. Ino placed her hands on her hips and her smirk deepened when he frowned at her.

Tsunade turned and glared silently at Naruto for the longest time as he nervously grinned and scratched the back of his neck.

"Gaki! How many times have we warned you! Never, _never_ go to the surface, and dragging Sakura along? How utterly thoughtless and irresponsible of you!" She yelled, as Naruto opened his mouth to protest she held up her index finger threateningly. "No! You will listen to me, Naruto. You are not to go near the surface or Sakura until I say otherwise. Clearly, you can't be trusted to take care of either your self or your sovereign!"

"But, Baa-Chan! It wasn't like that!" Naruto finally manage to yell back.

Tsunade sighed heavily and brought a hand up to rub tiredly at her eyes. "Ino, Sakura, leave us." She commanded. Sakura gave Naruto another apologetic shrug and Ino flicked him in the face with her tail as she swam passed. Naruto growled deep in his throat at her retreating back and didn't turn to face Tsunade until well after the door had closed behind the other two.

When he did finally look at the woman he was shocked to see a hopeless to her expression. Tsunade pushed off from her desk and approached Naruto, who flinched when she reached for him, however, he was yet again surprised to be brought into a fierce hug, his face near buried in her impressive bosom, arms hanging uselessly at his sides.

"I don't want to see you caught, on some, some _fish eater's_ hook!" she said. If he'd been feeling at all bad before, now he was feeling like the worst sea scum possible and there was that telltale tightening behind his eyes that he always got when he was upset.

"I'm sorry, Baa-Chan but it wasn't like that, really," He protested weakly against her chest. She pulled back from Naruto and fondly stroked his cheek before letting it rest against his chest over the pendant that she'd given him. A promise for the future. She sighed and went back to her desk.

"I know, but I can't be showing favourites and by Gods, is that Sakura ever a bad influence."

"Well, to be fair, I probably _would_ have gone up without her, but not necessarily during a storm," Naruto muttered and curled up on a rock pedestal that was provided for guests to lounge on.

Tsunade shook her head bemusedly at the boy she considered as her own.

"Now, is there anything else I should know about your little escapade, before I hear it from someone else?" She asked with a cautionary tone. Naruto looked away suddenly and laughed awkwardly.

"Well, I wouldn't call it something _terribly_ bothersome…"

"Naruto," Tsunade said, her voice full of suspicion and her heart full of a sense of foreboding.

"I mean, it's not like they've got any actual _concrete _proof,"

"Naruto!"

"Ok, okay! I sort of saved a sailor from drowning!" He blurted out and covered his mouth with both hands, eyes wide in panic.

"Goddammit, Gaki, you _know_ the penalty for aiding a human! You know the risks, why…what on earth possessed you?!"

"I just couldn't let him drown! He was like, looking at me all pathetic like, as if I was going to eat him or something! And anyway, he's never done anything to me! Or any merman I know of! I mean, it's not like we've had any of our villagers caught in their nets or trapped on their hooks!" Naruto yelled defensively.

"That's because they're not aware that we exist! They don't know where we are to kill us, Naruto! But you may well have doomed us all!"

"I'm sorry!" He cried out and then he crumpled. "I'm sorry," he whispered, hiding his face in his hands.

He heard the aggravated sigh that Tsunade issued, but didn't risk glancing up and further incurring her wrath.

"We can only hope that you were far enough away from here that they won't know where to come looking and we're deep enough that they'd have trouble reaching us at any rate. If I catch tide of any_, ANY _localised human activities anywhere near us, so help me Naruto, I don't know what I'm going to do with you," She growled out. "You know this could mean exile for you, don't you?"

He looked up, anguish filling his eyes and shaking his head frantically. He hastily pushed himself away from his seat and went to clutch familiarly at Tsunade's waist. She looked down in surprise and emotional discomfort.

"No! No! I'll fix this, just…let me go fix this…if, if there's any sign of humans coming even near our borders I'll leave, I'll sort it out, I'll mislead them somehow. But please, don't make me leave forever. I'd die if I couldn't come back!"

The silence in the room was oppressive and Naruto squeezed his eyes tightly shut, his shoulders hunching against the worst possible outcome.

"Alright, Naruto. Alright. You won't be banished, but neither will you be allowed back until the matter is resolved. So you had better pray that they never come here."

oOo

The way royalty worked in Naruto's village was a little more informal than most places. Usually, instead of being born to it, they were elected to Ruler by the elders of the village and at any point in their career; the ruler could pass on the crown to whomsoever was considered worthy enough. However, occasionally some were born to it.

Merpeople tend to live long lives and their Kingdom had only ever seen five rulers, but it had been the Fourth ruler who had been born to be King, truly born to rule their village. He'd only been King a short time, even by human standards, before he was struck down by a demon that had come to terrorize their village. No one knew where it had come from and many lost their lives in the effort to defeat it. Namikaze Minato had laid down his own life and through some sort of magic had suppressed and defeated the demon. Shortly afterwards, Naruto had appeared, bearing the markings of the demon, three whisker marks on each cheek and black seals on his stomach and for that he became an outcast before he was even old enough to feed himself.

It was probably the worst kept secret among the elders of the village that Naruto was the son of their true king, and in turn should have taken on the mantle of Ruler when he came of age. However, Naruto and those of his generation were held ignorant of the fact and hate continued to build against the blond.

He was looked after grudgingly, out of respect of the Yondaime's dying wish but he'd never been accepted. Not until he'd had the chance to prove himself to a select few, becoming a formidable warrior and a precious friend to those who took the time to look at him.

One particular trait that had been passed down to him from his father was his ability to walk the land. Not many merpeople possessed such a trait – those that did became unofficial royalty and were kept cloistered among the palace so that they might be kept from traversing to the human world and revealing their secret haven.

But few had ever watched Naruto, nor cared where he'd disappeared to and so he'd ended up travelling closer and closer inland until he'd happened upon a seaside human dwelling and become obsessed.

He'd travelled along unexplored coast-line, drifting dangerously close to the humans under the cover of darkness but had never stepped on land, almost frightened that he'd never be able to return and not even sure if he were capable of leaving the ocean to walk among the humans.

Naruto had visited many places above and below the waves, but he'd always returned, always. Despite how he was treated there, it was his home and he would die protecting it.

And so when the fishing boats gradually got closer and closer to their borders he did what he had to do.

He left.


	2. Orange Scales

_**A/N:** Lol, I know, long gap between chapters. Expect a slow update schedule, or maybe actually _no_ schedule at all. :P But please, I hope you enjoy my story and that you stick with it. I dearly love R&R, and since I'm one of those, "Writes as it comes" type of writer, your input may even have an influence on the story. So suggestions, criticisms or just compliments are all entirely welcome and I find are very encouraging hint hint, lol Anyway, ENJOY!_

* * *

Despite all Kakashi's protests, Sasuke had nonetheless boarded the fishing trawler he'd commandeered to search the ocean for the elusive fish people. They were in roughly the same location that the boat had been in during the storm that night and their fishing net was being dropped as far as possible and every two hours it was raised and checked. Admittedly, this wasn't how Sasuke would have liked to approach it. In fact, he'd called upon a distant cousin, Hyuuga Neji, who used much of his personal fortune to invest in diving equipment that would allow humans to explore the sea depths without ever having to leave the safety of the vessel. However, he was still a month from reaching the seaside kingdom and an earlier correspondence had indicted recent failure with the tests they'd been doing.

The crew were restless, though kept their anxieties to themselves. It was commonly felt that their presence in these waters were invitation of their own deaths, because as any good sailor would know, to hear the song of the mermaid was to be foretold of their own life lost at sea.

Sasuke stood leaning against the rail of the boat, looking out over the obsidian depths of the ocean as though if he continued to stare, the waters would part and reveal their secrets if he waited long enough. Waves gently splashed against the side of the boat and the sky darkened as all around him the sailors went about their duty and the winds carried past him the scent of the ocean.

"Your highness?" Sasuke turned to face Kakashi. In that moment he thought he might have heard a hiss and a muttered, _"son of a bitch!"_ but assumed that it was one of the crew.

"Yes?"

"The men are preparing for their meal, would you care to retire?" Kakashi asked carefully.

Sasuke turned to look back out at the ocean for a long moment before turning and nodding, leading the way back into the cabin with his steward bringing up the rear. The ship was heading home tomorrow dawn, regardless of Sasuke's wishes and he was feeling more dejected then usual what with their recent lack of success.

However, he was determined to keep searching. He'd even contemplated diving for himself, but according to the sailors, the current area since it was near a small reef was attractive for much sea-life, including sharks.

He sat silently as he partook of the meal with the sailors, who, after the fifth evening had come to almost ignore his presence and carried on as they were wont to do. Once the food was done with, that evenings drink rations had been brought out and Sasuke had retired to an out of the way corner and listened as the crew began to recount tales of adventure, daring and of the supernatural elements they'd encountered or heard tell of, listening especially sharply as Matty spoke of his trip over the side of the boat.

"There I was," he said, gesturing wildly with his hands. "Wallowing, ready to drown when all of a sudden I opens me eyes, and blowed if someone isn't lookin' back at me!

"Eyes that glowed like some demonic blue fire and hair, swirling about him like seaweed and almost the same colour as; ready to drag me down and drown me! His hands were clawed, like some fell beast. Instead of legs, he had a tail, I swear it to you, the colour of dried-blood!

"Well then I knew I was dead! I'd sort of hoped that one of those lovely sea-wenches were to come and drag me down to me grave, so I can tell you I was a little disappointed to be brought down by such a fiendish creature!

"And then next thing I know, he's pulling me up by me armpits, up, up and out into the air and into the rage of the storm! Not much do I remember aft' o' that, only that he'd been wearing some tube around his neck and that I'd grabbed onto it, in me half daze, not really knowing my actions and I hid it.

"Next thing I know, I'm face to face with good ol' Mary, tied to her with rope and covered in that horrible inky muck. And that is as you found me!"

He finished his tale with a nod of his head and joined in the chorus of laughter as the other men remembered their shock, humour and relief when they'd found him.

Shortly after he'd finished his tale, the crew slowly drifted off to their bunks to retire and Sasuke followed shortly afterwards but spent a good five minutes looking out over the inky black waters of the ocean.

By first light the sailors had already been up by about an hour, trying for the morning haul, because monarch or no monarch, they still needed to make a living. Sasuke woke to the sounds of heavy labour going on about him and groaned.

He was definitely not made for the sea life. Give him a warm, secure home and a soft bed any day over the constant motion, slim hammock come body bag and poor food. Not to mention the shipmates' hygiene. Sasuke shuddered at the thought.

It was about eight in the morning when they began the trip back to the docks and Sasuke was never so happy to see dry land then at that moment. Among all the activity on the boat and on the docks, Kakashi and Sasuke made their leave and were met by the royal coach ready to take them back to the palace. As Sasuke was about to climb the steps into the carriage, a prickling sensation at the back of his neck made him look around, yet no one was looking in his direction though the sensation of being watched was strong, almost palpable. He shook it off and pulled himself into the carriage, settling down onto the forward-facing seat. Kakashi climbed in afterwards, taking a seat opposite his master.

The short trip home was painfully tense and the unspoken "I told you so," was ringing loudly through the silent carriage. Sasuke's scowl deepened, his mood souring the longer he had to sit there and the trip itself felt twice as long.

Once he'd finally set foot back in his own palace, he took one last look at the sea from the hillside before retreating indoors, still with the nagging sense that he was being watched.

oOo

He was not being watched. Oh no, see Naruto could only go so close to land while the sun was out as he was at greater risk of being spotted by some poor fisherman, so he'd had to stop trailing the boat when the dock came in sight. He could only just make out the activity on land as little blobs moving bigger blobs around, though he kept his eye on the man with the other that he'd seen that night.

Naruto had been for weeks watching the borders, listening to the gossips of the sentries and hadn't seen his home or Sakura in all that time. And then the boat had come and all his worst fears were realised. So he'd swum up to the surface once evening had set and listened to the chatter of the humans aboard.

He'd become overly impatient at one point, and his curiosity had also spurred him to extend his claws and pull himself up the side of the boat to perch on a handy railing that ran the length of the side of the boat that was little more than three inches wide. He'd nearly choked on his own heart when he heard someone lean on the guard rail a metre above his own head. And of course, his curiosity had once again got the better of him, so Naruto had edged closer to those twisted lengths of what could have only been hair and tangled his hand in one to get a better look. He couldn't make out much from his improved vantage, but then someone had called out to the man at the rail and he'd turned back to talk to whoever it was and that's when-

"Son of a bitch!" Naruto yelled, immediately slapping a hand over his mouth and staring wide-eyed up at the figure above him, waiting for him to turn around and spot him. He held his breath until he'd disappeared from view and only when all sounds from the deck had disappeared did he lower his hand. He scowled up at the empty railing and let himself fall back into the water, though he stayed close to the underbelly of the boat.

That, that _bastard_ was wearing his money! He knew it! There was no doubt in his mind, since he was the only merman he knew that had come across perfectly formed black tear-drop shaped pearls. And that _bastard_ had made them into _earrings_ for heaven's sake!

He'd fumed all night, muttering incoherently to himself. He was going to find that human, find where he'd hidden his tube, take back his money and, and, and kick him in the sea cucumber! Yes, that was it!

So when the boat had made its way back to shore, Naruto had followed until it was no longer safe to and he kept an eye on those two humans, watched as they'd gotten into that big shell-like thing that was being drawn by those huge…hairy things that sort of resembled sea-horses. They'd travelled for a short while along a coastal road, before turning inward and up a steep incline and there Naruto had lost them.

He continued for a while along the coast to try and see another way to where they'd gone and happened upon a small lagoon that sat at the opening of a creek which threaded further in among the mangroves. The area was sheltered and almost claustrophobic with plant life, but blessedly empty of larger wild-life. Naruto explored further until he'd left the salt water behind and entered the clear water of the creek itself, however, had to retreat shortly afterwards as the water itself started to make him ache all over.

He retired to the lagoon, settling in among the coral that made up the protective barrier around the shallow cove and tried to think. Try being the operative word.

So, obviously, that pearl thief was someone important. It had been quite apparent with how the other little humans seemed to defer to him. And Naruto knew,_ knew_ that he had his capsule and so therefore he needed to track the human down at some point, because, well, that was his _life savings_ that he had in his ears (and no doubt some other jewellery at this point) but it was also partial proof of their existence.

And it wasn't as though Naruto had any better leads at any rate. So if he was going to mislead the humans into searching elsewhere, or just getting them to give up their search, then that dark-haired human was his best bet. And of course, to track down that human, he'd have to try something he'd never done before.

He'd have to become a human, himself. Naruto pulled a face at the thought of it and tugged at the strands of blonde hair that moved about him with the currents. He looked at his tail and ran a hand lovingly along its length. He loved his tail; it was orange and strong and (he thought) very pretty. But he'd always loved bright colours. He didn't want to give that up, when all was said and done; it wasn't something that he could so easily leave behind, but he had to.

Naruto rose to the surface and took one last longing look towards his home before he swam back to the creek and found a place that was shallow, the shore an easy, slow incline and pulled himself half onto land.

"I don't know what I'm doing, do I?" He asked himself as he propped his head in his hands and waited. He'd heard about the process before, and it had never appealed to him. None his age and only a few older had ever gone through the transformation and those that had had only ever done it once, the experience itself often described as torture of the most excruciating degree. An insane fear began to gnaw at him but Naruto remembered his promise, he couldn't go back, he couldn't give up, so he'd have to endure.

It didn't take long for the pain to begin. It started as a dull ache, like growth pains that swiftly crept up and down along his tail but nowhere was it more painful than along the skin that merged with the scales, around his middle. It throbbed and burned and began to sting with every tug of the tide. Naruto grit his teeth and grunted, determined not to cry out, determined to bear the pain. But as water would lap over him, it felt like it was tearing away a part of him as it washed over his lower half and it soon became impossible to stifle the screams.

Naruto hunched his shoulders, his hands in fists that shook from trying to suppress the pain. Claws dugs into the flesh of his palms and blood began to course down his arms until he splayed his hands and dug them into the sand beneath him, desperately tyring to overcome the pain. He howled, screamed something so inhuman, so unlike anything the local wildlife have ever heard that birds took flight and animals scurried off elsewhere, leaving the cove in an oppressive silence, but for the heaving breaths and muffled cries of pain that reverberated through the trees from mid morning to late into the evening, when all groans of pain were reduced down to mere, tired sobs.

Naruto continued to pant, eyes screwed shut and teeth clenched so tight that his jaw had locked up and his entire body shuddered weakly, his nerves alight with flares of pain that left black and white spots dancing across his vision.

At some point he must have fallen asleep, but once he awoke the feeling of being through a shark's jaws hadn't left, but it had dulled. The evening air was cool, cold even and his body continued to shiver in an attempt to stay warm and he was numb from the waist down and too frightened to look and see what had become of his tail at that moment.

Gathering what little strength he had left Naruto pushed himself up on shaky arms and swivelled his head to look down at himself and nearly passed-out from horror.

"I HAVE LEGS!" He moaned and flopped back onto the sandy embankment, hands fisted over his eyes. He sobbed pitifully and whined like a child who'd been denied a toy.

Eventually, he pulled his arms back and looked them over, expecting a change there, also, but all he saw was grime, blood and filth. He turned his head to smell himself and recoiled from the stench that coated him like a film. He felt slimy and he wanted nothing more than to slip back into the salt water and scrub his skin until the sensation left, but he couldn't go near the salt water, or risk reverting back to his true form.

"Phew!…I don't think I've _ever _smelled as bad as I do now," he muttered. Naruto pulled himself up into a sitting position and stared down at his new appendages with guarded suspicion. He poked the knobbly joints and felt it and was surprised that he was shocked by this new revelation. He tested the muscles, trying as though he wanted to twitch his fins and watched as the muscles responded.

He tried pulling them up, and was panting before he'd even moved them an inch. He growled in frustration and tried again. "This…isn't…as…easy…as……I thought!" he puffed out. He dropped tiredly onto his back and gazed out at the area around him.

Along the shore, littered across the sand were scales, orange and pearlescent, scattered like glittering jewels. Naruto felt that tightening sensation behind his eyelids and shut them against it and turned on his side. He remained in that position only a short while before the feeling of being coated in mucus finally got to him and he slithered deeper into the fresh water and he grabbed a handful of leaves from an overhanging branch and scrubbed his arms, chest and back until raw.

After that he spent a good amount of time trying out his new…legs until he was satisfied that at least he could stand. Naruto waded out a little further, so he was now waist-deep in water but not deep enough that the current was strong enough to pull him back out to sea and continued cleaning. He let his own buoyancy take the strain from his legs

He dunked his head a couple time to wet the filth encrusted lengths of his hair. And in that moment missed the sound of approaching footsteps trampling the undergrowth beneath heavy boots.

"_The sounds were coming from here, your Majesty."_

Naruto resurfaced, his head and shoulders above the surface, hands clawing through the length of his hair as it fell wetly around, something he still wasn't very used to. He did hear the indrawn breath and the crack of a twig underfoot which caused him to whip round, eyes startled wide.

One of them was carrying some sort of portable sun that blinded him and he put an arm up to shield his eyes. When he recovered from the light damage, he began to make out details of the three humans that were standing there staring at him. They all had identical expressions of shock and disbelief on their faces, though it was difficult to tell with one, whose face was mostly covered by some kind of mask. The one holding the light was an odd looking creature dressed in all-green and the last one in the group was-

"You!" Naruto yelled pointing an angry finger at the man who stood towards the back of the party. He looked startled, almost scared at Naruto's sudden outburst and he took a step back.

"You!" Naruto shouted again. He got his feet underneath himself and he slowly stood, waist-deep in the shallow pool. Then he began to stride angrily up the shore. "Give me ba-aargh!" Naruto's sentence abruptly ended as his legs buckled under him and he fell in an inelegant heap at their feet. He groaned

"Oh, dear! Are you ok, Young Sir?" someone above him yelled. Naruto turned his head slightly and was greeted by the sight of the green monster kneeling over him with concern etched onto his face. The silver haired man with no face was standing on his other side with a feeling of amusement about him, but he couldn't see the other. The one. The _bastard._

"I'm _fine_," Naruto ground out between clenched teeth. "I just can't seem to get my _damned legs to work!"_

"Come on, Lee, let's help him up," The silver man said. The two both got an arm around his biceps on either side and hauled him up onto his knees where they became aware of an interesting fact.

"Oh…ah, erm…maybe you should lend him your shirt, Lee."

"I think he needs more than just a shirt."

"Yes, but did you happen to bring a robe with you?"

Naruto looked at them quizzically and then down at himself. "_Argh!_"

All three men jumped backwards in shock.

"What the hell is that?!" Naruto screeched, pointing to himself in terror. From the back of the party, there came a throaty bark of laughter. Naruto looked up at the dark-haired man who was bent double and laughing so hard he was clutching his middle. Naruto's eyes narrowed and he growled. He really was a _bastard._

oOo

Eventually, after Sasuke had recovered from his bout of painful laughter, he offered his coat to his men to wrap around the stranger. Kakashi took it and pulled it onto the protesting, fidgety blond that they'd discovered and buttoned him in.

"What do you want us to do with him, your Majesty?" Lee asked as the other tried to scowl at all three of them at once.

"We take him to the palace with us," Sasuke responded shortly.

"But what about those strange noises we were hearing, what about that, sire?" Lee pushed, looking nervously around the vegetation in the area.

"There's no need, just bring him," he snapped in reply. Sasuke took up the lantern that Lee had dropped when the stranger had collapsed in front of them and began heading off towards the palace through the undergrowth without bother to see if the others followed

"Sire! The light!" Sasuke paused in his tracks and turned to look back at the dense foliage and the three that burst through, breathing hard and red in the face from the effort of carrying the blond.

Sasuke waited impatiently for them to catch up before taking off again, setting a brisk, almost impossible pace. By the time they'd reached the carriage the stranger's eyelids were fluttering shut and every muscle seemed to be shivering from over-exertion.

Sasuke waited for Lee to open the carriage door and sat down, letting the other two struggle with the now unconscious form between them. Kakashi climbed into the carriage and pulled the blond in by his shoulders and Lee soon followed. They manoeuvred him onto the seat facing their monarch and then with a small nod Lee left the carriage to attend to his duties leaving Kakashi to adjust the young man so he could sit down, the blond head cradled in his lap and one arm wrapped low around his torso to prevent him from sliding from the seat as the carriage lurched as it was driven off.

It had been pure coincidence that Sasuke had been riding in the carriage past the lagoon when they'd run across Lee. The huntsman had been answering a request from locals to investigate the frightening noises and Sasuke being the headstrong, obstreperous teenager that he was had insisted on joining in the hunt and so they'd set off on foot, through the thick undergrowth and swampy grounds near the mangroves where they'd run across the stranger.

Sasuke looked at the sleeping face across from him, soft and innocent whilst in slumber, but he remembered what he first saw. Eyes, blazing blue like flames in the night and an expression of such fierce defiance that he could hardly reconcile the two images.

He looked up to meet the solitary gaze of his steward and he could feel heat rise to his cheeks and thankful that the carriage was too dark for him to notice.

"Highness? What would you like to do with the boy?" Kakashi asked quietly. Sasuke stared for a moment before directing his gaze out the window.

"…Put him in the guest quarters in the west wing and have a doctor come and check on him tomorrow. After that…we'll see," he replied. He could feel the excitement in him build. He knew what he'd seen, he _knew _it. He had a merman. The only thing he lacked was undeniable proof, but that would come later. He was so much closer now to finding the home of the mer-people, he could almost reach out and touch it.

Once they arrived back at the palace, Sasuke swiftly made his way to his bed chambers, secure in the knowledge that his servants would see to the well-being of his guest. He thought that with all the excitement he wouldn't be able to get much sleep, but after dressing in his nightshirt and climbing abed, he was asleep almost instantly, lulled by the distant sounds of the waves meeting the shore and the soft and warmth of his bed.

oOo

He woke early the next day, much as was his habit and made his way to his study where he had business of the state to attend to. He'd let it get slightly out of hand with his recent feverish search and so the paper work almost towered above him as he grudgingly took his seat. He hated this part most about being a monarch. He'd been taking care of such matters since he was twelve years old and he'd resented it then and barely stood for it now. Unfortunately all the census', military reports, requests and news bills were an essential part of running a working kingdom. But that didn't stop it from being the most unpleasant part of his day.

At around eight that morning, a maid quietly entered the room and placed his breakfast on a side table before just as discreetly leaving the room as the young master continued reading through the backlog of paperwork that had amounted.

He was interrupted again two hours later by Kakashi who strolled in with a relaxed fashion and leaned up against the window.

"Sorry I'm late, I heard the sounds of destiny calling, so I followed the sounds to the beach but it turned out to be just a seagull," the steward said cheerfully. Sasuke paused only to glare up at the silver-haired man briefly before returning to his work.

The silence stretched out across the room, interrupted only by the ticking of the grandfather clock that stood in the corner and the scritch-scratch of Sasuke's quill across the parchment.

"So…the boy woke up a half hour ago…" Kakashi suddenly announced, inspecting his nails in a careless fashion.

Sasuke's head immediately jerked up and he half-rose from his chair, eyes wide and excitement coursing through his body. Kakashi looked at him expectantly and Sasuke froze before slowly lowering himself back into his seat and turning his attention resentfully back to the paperwork. He quickly scrawled his signature on the current page and moved it to the finished pile.

"…Oh?" he finally responded.

"Yes indeed," Kakashi responded. "…I had to have him confined to his room; he was causing the maids to faint."

"…How so?"

"What with only wearing his undergarments about the halls, it's only expected that the girls should become wan," Kakashi replied. Sasuke felt his jaw drop and any thoughts of returning to work left his head.

"Didn't you give him clothes? Did you not make sure he was dressed?" Sasuke asked, rising from his chair and making his way swiftly to the door and down the corridor. Kakashi kept a step behind him as he followed his liege through the halls.

"I did try to dress him personally, but I'm afraid the boy refused my help and said he'd do it on his own."

"Then why isn't he dressed?"

Kakashi restrained the urge to shrug his shoulders and simply said, "He probably couldn't figure out how to put anything else on." As an afterthought he added, "He's none too bright." Sasuke shook his head and barged into the guest quarters, stopping just past the threshold.

Sitting in the window seat, gaze pointed out over the bay was his blond guest. He was indeed wearing only his breeches, his hair loose down his back and sitting with his knees drawn up, arms folded in his lap. He turned his piercing blue gaze to Sasuke after a moment and his eyes narrowed into a glare.

"You," he breathed dangerously. He then swung his legs onto the floor, took two steps and collapsed into a heap. "Ow…"

"Plus," Kakashi piped up, "he still isn't certain on his feet, yet."

Sasuke stifled the laugh that threatened to burst through, but the boy caught his amusement through a parting in his hair as he looked up at his audience from the floor.

"You, boy, pray what is your name?" Sasuke asked when his breathing steadied. The blond pushed himself up into a seated position, weight resting on his arms and cocked his head to the side.

"…who wants to know?" he returned coolly.

"I am-"

"This is our crowned Prince, Sasuke Uchiha and it would do you well to show him some respect," came a voice from the doorway. Ibiki Morino, head of the royal guard was standing imposingly in the entranceway, his presence seemingly filling the space with an overwhelming sense or protectiveness. The blond raised his eyebrows and turned to look Sasuke up and down carefully.

"…Prince, huh?" The boy slowly got his feet up under him and rose on wobbly legs, almost toppling forward as he attempted to maintain his balance. He stood for a moment with his hands outstretched, legs still shaking from the effort of supporting him until he could straighten.

Sasuke couldn't help but let his eyes roam the figure before him, taking in the tanned skin, the interesting black spiral tattoo on his abdomen, and the well toned lines of his frame. He was indeed an eye-catching specimen and it was easy to see why the maids were all aflutter.

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki, believe it!" Naruto greeted casually.

"Sasuke-sama, is he a…_guest…_of yours?" Morino asked suddenly, not trusting the stranger in their midst.

"Yes, Ibiki, we found him yesterday in a poorly state and he is to be treated as a guest here until I say otherwise," Sasuke said.

Ibiki looked at Naruto askance who in turn smiled cheerfully back at him in an _I'm-so-innocent_ kind of way that only raised the old general's suspicions.

"But, your highness, is it entirely _wise_ to have him here? He might-"

"Ibiki, I appreciate that it's your job to ensure my safety but I will not have my orders questioned. Do whatever you feel is necessary to find out his intentions if you must, but I remind you again that he is a guest here for the time being and should be treated with as much respect as you would any other travelling dignitary," Sasuke warned, his voice brooking no argument. Ibiki was silent for a moment before murmuring his assent and taking his leave with a solemn bow.

"Wooo, scary, wouldn't want to be on his bad side," Naruto commented once the door was firmly shut between him and that mountain of a man, Ibiki.

Sasuke was quiet a moment. "Quite…Kakashi, have morning tea prepared on the sundeck; we will be dining outside, today."

Kakashi nodded his understanding and informally ruffled Sasuke's hair as he walked past. Sasuke scowled at his retreating back but said nothing. The man had practically raised him and he felt more like family than servant.

Sasuke returned his gaze to Naruto, taking a moment to appreciate the view as the blond stretched absently.

"You will be joining me for morning tea, but you must first dress," Sasuke said.

Naruto blinked wide confused eyes at Sasuke and looked down at himself. "I am dressed," he replied. The monarch glared at Naruto.

"_I'm _dressed. You're indecent," Sasuke commented. "At least put a shirt on."

Naruto crinkled his nose in distaste but submitted under Sasuke's glare. He pulled the shirt on awkwardly and attempted to work the buttons, getting more and more frustrated as they resisted his efforts.

After watching on in amusement for a while, Sasuke relented and buttoned Naruto's shirt then quickly pulled a vest on before Naruto could protest, buttoning that as well. It meant that his shirt tails were untucked, but at least he'd pass for being dressed this time round.

Sasuke pulled Naruto's hair from his shirt and was surprised when he felt him lean into him a moment.

"Mm, you smell good," Naruto murmured. Sasuke reared back suddenly and looked at Naruto's pleasantly blank expression.

"Ah, thank you, I think," He responded uncertainly, turning on his heel he then led the way to the sun deck, stopping numerous times for Naruto to catch up.

He refused help from both Sasuke and Kakashi who had returned and was slowly making his way down the hall as he kept a steadying hand trailing along the wall. Naruto was evidently relieved when they finally made it out onto the deck and almost collapsed into his chair, legs shaking from the exertion.

They sat for a moment in silence as Kakashi poured tea for the three of them. Naruto was looking about freely, staring almost longingly out to sea and Sasuke's gaze remained fixed on the kaleidoscope of emotions that flittered across the blonde's face.

Sasuke picked up his tea – black, no sugar – and took a gentle sip, before returning the cup to its saucer with a muted clatter.

"So," Sasuke began, startling Naruto, who turned his attention to the Monarch across from him. "What is a merman doing on dry land?" He questioned, arching an eyebrow in a gesture that Naruto would get irritatingly familiar with.

Naruto's mouth gaped and he sat almost frozen in his seat. He ignored the question in favour of looking to Kakashi with disbelief scrawled across his face, as if asking the silver-haired man, _is he serious?_ Kakashi's response was a simple shrug of his shoulders, content to simply humour his charge in whatever fancy had taken him, so long as it delayed their boarding another seafaring vessel. Though Kakashi was by no means incapable of being on a boat without automatically being sick, it didn't mean that he enjoyed the living conditions any. No, he preferred castle life or even living off the land to living in a small wooden tub with twenty or so other men in a confined space with little fresh food, limited fresh water and uncertain cleaning habits.

Naruto turned helplessly back to Sasuke and pointed a finger at his own mouth, "Who, me?" He asked incredulously.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed in irritation. "You are indeed the one I am addressing," he replied curtly. Naruto sat there for what felt like an eternity, face blank but for an expression of wide-eyed disbelief. And then with surprising suddenness his face broke into a wide, jaw-cracking smile that turned his eyes into upturned slits and forced the three whisker-like markings on either side of his face stretch in symphony.

Then he burst into loud - and Sasuke felt _annoying -_ peals of laughter. Clutching at his ribs as each guffaw wracked his body almost painfully, Naruto tried between breaths to speak.

When he managed to regain his breath he looked back at Sasuke who was presently glaring in the best traditions of his family and his good humour returned in full force and he ended up falling from his chair in a heap, still laughing.

Eventually, Naruto found his breath and though still giggling between each draw of air finally managed to wheeze out, "You've gotta be kidding? Me? A merman?!"

Sasuke's glare – if possible – deepened. Surely if looks could kill, then Naruto would have been dead five times over by now. With help from Kakashi Naruto returned to his seat. "I'm sorry, Sasuke, but I'm not a merman…hell, I don't even know how to swim!"

"Then what were you doing in that lagoon, pray tell?" Sasuke demanded. Naruto blinked once, looking gormless.

"Bathing?" He replied with a weak shrug and a lopsided smile. If Sasuke had been any less of an Uchiha, he would at this point have dropped his face into his hands or slumped in his chair. He might have reached across the table and slapped that dumb look off the blonde's face, if he weren't an Uchiha. But he was, so he continued to stare coolly at Naruto and remained straight backed in his seat. But no amount of training or blue blood could stop the angry blush the crawled up his neck and blossomed over his cheeks.

He didn't believe it. He _wouldn't_ believe it. Naruto was a merman, he had to be. _He had to._

oOo


	3. swirls, fangs and whiskers

_A/N: Lol, long time in coming. Actually, this chapter has been sitting on my PC a while, but I was a little hesitant to post it. I'm not really sure that I'm liking how I've written it, esp. the first part. But let me know where you think I could have it improved, PLZKTHX!  
_

* * *

Naruto was an idiot. Everyone said it and the boy certainly did nothing to dissuade their perception, but it wasn't necessarily the full truth. Sure, he was a bit rash, not particularly knowledgeable and maybe a tad bit ignorant when it came to many things, but he was not, as it were, a complete idiot.

Naruto was actually rather smart, highly intuitive, and naturally instinctive in his dealings with others. He also had a brilliant mind for tactics; for turning the situation to his advantage. In view of these facts, Naruto had formulated a plan. Not just any plan, of course, but a Plan, with a capital 'P' and everything. The Plan was so far, this – lie through his teeth.

Sounds easy, but one of Naruto's - shall we say for the sake of argument - _faults_ was that he was a horrible liar. The problem was that Naruto had the tendency to wear every emotion on his chest like a badge for everyone to see. So when he was angry, he was angry, if he was happy he smiled, when he was sad, which wasn't often, he would disappear so he wouldn't have to pretend. That's not to say that he never hid his emotions with his Cheshire cat grin; he was quite proficient in that respect at fooling even himself.

But essentially, he was a bad liar because he was so open with his expressions. However, he'd gotten rather adept at taking artistic license with the truth. And so, the conversation that followed was nothing short of a masterpiece of omission and half-truths that even Naruto felt quite proud of.

And it went like this.

"If you were just bathing, how come you had no clothes with you?"

"I didn't think I'd need them, to be honest," he said with a shrug.

"And how come you were bathing in a lagoon, in the wilderness, in the evening and not, say for instance, at an inn or at home?"

"Ah, well, it seemed like a good idea at the time." Another shrug. "And besides, I can't go home."

"Why not?"

"Oh, you know, get sent on a mission, 'return home successful or dead', you know the drill," all said with an absent wave of a hand. Naruto had to suppress the grin that threatened to tear his face in two at the deepening look of frustration that was making Sasuke's eyes flash dangerously. He was so impossibly fun to rile, he might even be more amusing than playing with Iruka.

"And what's this mission?" Sasuke asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"Um…what's this red stuff?"

"Raspberry jam. The mission?"

"Can I taste it?"

"Yes, of course. The mission."

Naruto ignored the raven in favour of sticking his finger in the see-through shell-like thing that contained the Jam and scooping the goop into his mouth. His eyes nearly popped from his sockets upon first taste. There was nothing, _nothing_ under the sea that could compare to the taste of this jam. Naruto looked fondly over the table spread with food and started piling everything in reach onto the white dish that was in front of him, determined to try it all. He looked up when the burning sensation at the back of his neck got to a point where he could no longer ignore it and regarded Sasuke with a goofy expression.

"The mission." Clearly, the prince could not be deterred. Geesh, him and his big mouth.

"Well, I'm a warrior where I come from, I was sent out to protect our village, but I got a little lost and ended up stuck in the lagoon." Wow, and it was all in a way true.

"Where are you from?"

"Hmm…it's a little known village to the east, sort of tucked away, very reclusive. Hey, what's this thing here?"

"It's a scone. What's the village called?"

"Oh, I can't tell you that," Naruto paused in tearing the Scone into smaller chunks to treat Sasuke with a mischievous little smile. He leaned across the table, his eyes crinkling in mirth and stage whispered, "It's a secret!"

Naruto watched curiously as red began to tinge Sasuke's cheeks in a blush that accompanied an indrawn breath at his proximity. He reached across the table and poked a finger to Sasuke's left cheek, withdrawing his hand when Sasuke flinched back in his chair.

Naruto chuckled lowly and smiled again. "Your face is all warm." The prince sputtered incoherently for a moment before bringing the cup of tea to his mouth and taking a steadying sip of the beverage as he regained his composure.

Sasuke cleared his throat and set his cup back down on its saucer. "Why are you here, then?"

Naruto stared at Sasuke blankly, eyes narrowed in confusion. "You…brought me here? Last night, remember?"

"But why are you still here?" Sasuke demanded his voice growing in volume and his expression turning so dark it made Naruto lose his breath.

"Because I…because…"

"Because what, Naruto? What?"

"Because I don't have anywhere else I can go…I need to be here!" Naruto was not whining, no, not at all.

His response was met with a lengthy silence. Sasuke crossed his legs and folded his arms in his lap. He took a moment to regard the view at Naruto's back before flicking his gaze to the boy briefly, then away. "Explain."

"I…I didn't know it at the time, but I came here…for you," Naruto was looking down at his pink little toes, curled in anxiety and he let his hair fall across his face like a curtain, obscuring him from view.

"Tch."

"Milord?" Kakashi piped up unexpectedly, causing Naruto to glance up at him, startled. The man had been so quiet he had completely forgotten his existence. "Would you like Naruto escorted from the castle?"

Naruto's jaw dropped in horror. No, this couldn't happen! He had to stay or he'd never be able to go back home. He had to make Sasuke forget about mermen, he had to get him to stop his search. He had to protect his home. Naruto shook his head mutely, hands clenched painfully tight.

He pushed back abruptly from the table, his chair clattering to the floor. As Kakashi approached, he began backing away from the silver-haired man when he lost his balance and fell on his rump. Kakashi moved toward him with his hand outstretched and Sasuke rose from his chair. In a panic, Naruto scrabbled backwards further, trying to climb back to his feet, but only managing to pull his legs under him.

As Kakashi continued to near him, in fright Naruto pushed all his energy to his legs and practically launched himself at Sasuke's feet. He scuttled around behind him, using his legs as a barricade against other the man, wrapping his arms around the narrow waist in front of him. He pressed his face into a shocked Sasuke's lower back. "Please, please, don't send me away, please! I've got nowhere to go!" he begged.

Pale hands clenched harshly around tanned wrists and forced the grip to loosen. Naruto let go reluctantly and stared desperately into Sasuke's face as the prince turned to regard him, his face absent of expression, Naruto's arm still trapped in his grip.

Sasuke regarded Naruto carefully and the tension on the sundeck leeched the warm sunny morning of its pleasant atmosphere.

"For now, until you're able to walk properly, you are welcome. Kakashi, take Naruto back to his room, see that he is comfortable and then send Ibiki in to question him – gently." Sasuke turned back to Naruto. "I don't trust you, Kakashi doesn't trust you. Ibiki certainly doesn't, but if he finds no malice in your presence then you can remain as a guest.

"However, any wrong move, any suspicious look or questions and you will become intimately acquainted with our dungeons, which aren't by the way, half so nice as the guest rooms." Naruto nodded his head eagerly, his body tingling with relief; he still had some time, so long as he made it past the head guard. Sasuke tugged on Naruto's wrist and the blond worked to stand with his help. When he was unsteadily back on his feet, he found himself barely six inches from Sasuke. The prince was roughly two and half inches taller than him, but his presence made him seem a lot taller. And while imposing, Naruto couldn't stop himself from impulsively wrapping his arms around Sasuke's neck and hugging him, body firmly pressed against his. He felt Sasuke stiffen in his grip and tightened his arms momentarily before letting go and grinning widely at the man. Kakashi came up beside him and gripped his elbow, steering him away from the monarch and back into the sunlit halls of the castle proper. Naruto turned his head to watch the balcony and the prince as he was pulled away until he could no longer both walk and stare at the same time.

The trip back to his room was much quicker than the one to the sundeck with Kakashi practically dragging Naruto along like a kite. The door was opened and Kakashi walked Naruto to his bed and put a hand on his shoulder to urge the boy to sit. He did with a relieved sigh. This walking business was still really difficult and it was also extremely exhausting; he was glad that he could rest his weary legs again. Already they were shaking from this morning's exertions and he just knew that he'd wake up sore tomorrow.

Kakashi was at the door when he suddenly turned and regarded the blond who was attempting to pull the vest and shirt over his head. They were both slightly too large for his frame and eventually he managed to remove them both with a triumphant whoop. He threw the articles of clothing to the floor and flopped back onto the mattress to stare up at the canopy.

"You know," Kakashi started. "Sasuke must like you…he never lets anyone touch him; actually it's considered an offence to touch our monarch in any way. But you managed to hug him – twice."

Naruto pushed himself up to look at Kakashi questioningly, head cocked to the side.

"I'll vouch for you to Ibiki. Milord's reaction to you is interesting…you might even be good for him." And with that he left the room and quietly shut the door behind him.

Naruto stared at the entrance that Kakashi had vacated for a long while before letting himself fall back onto the soft comfort of the mattress.

The Plan had changed.

Naruto thought back to the balcony, what seemed like years ago now and how it had felt to hold the Prince like that. It had been…nice. Sasuke looked like such a cold, prickly sort of person, but he radiated warmth and of course he smelled _so good_. But Naruto had noticed something when he'd hugged him and not just the other stiffening in shock in his arms.

He'd felt the heat that Sasuke gave off spike and his heart start pounding rapidly. And he'd felt his own heart answer his. The Plan had changed, because, hey, there were so many side benefits to seducing Sasuke into forgetfulness.

Of course, there was one major dilemma between him and success and that was quite simply experience. He'd never had a lover when he was under the sea and above it, with his new, er, _bits, _Naruto was way out of his depth. It didn't faze him much; things would work out – they usually did.

Naruto squirmed around on the mattress, pulling legs that felt wooden and heavy up and yanking the sheets and pillows in around him, effectively creating a nest to lie in. The day's earlier exertions had tired him out like nothing he'd ever experienced before and he was soon curled up and obliviously dreaming.

When Ibiki entered the room he found the blond looking so sweet and innocent buried among the white sheets that he lightened his footfalls as he approached the bed. It was said you could tell a lot about a person by how they slept and without ever having to speak to the boy, a different facet to Naruto's personality was unravelled for him.

He was determined to question him, that hadn't changed, but his immediate distrust melted a fraction. Quietly the Head of the Royal Guard turned on his heel and exited the room.

The interrogation could wait.

oOo

The interrogation never came. Naruto over the following week became increasingly more paranoid, not knowing when Ibiki would accost him and drag the secrets out of him. As he clumsily and slowly gained his footing, becoming more familiar with his new limbs he'd see every now and then out of the corner of his eye the visage of the imposing man. But when he'd turn, he'd be gone and it was wreaking havoc on his nerves.

Clearly Ibiki's plan was to crazy the truth out of him.

He hadn't seen much of Sasuke which was putting a damper on his "Seduce the Prince" Plan. However, he was getting positively sick of the sight of his steward. Kakashi continued to hound him, springing up and asking questions out of the blue, which was unsettling enough, but what was more worrying was that despite how far Naruto went or how deviously he hid himself in the many rooms of the palace, the man found him every time.

It took him a while to realise that Kakashi was trying to keep him entertained, or possibly to entertain himself…it was a bit difficult to tell with that man.

So it was on that particular day as he was trying to escape from the phantom presence of Ibiki and the scary stalker, Kakashi that Naruto found himself in the training yards. What he saw made him forget exactly why he was dragging himself around the palace grounds at high speeds and he draped himself over the fence to the yard as he caught his breath. He still tired easily from the whole walking thing, but each time he was on his feet became longer and slowly, the cost of the exertion was decreasing daily.

The doctor that they'd had in to check up on him every other day was astounded with the progress he'd made so far, considering how weak and "disused" his legs had been before.

Across from him, men wearing identical uniforms were sparring together, running through training drills with spear, sword and in the distance, bows.

In the centre of the courtyard, a large section had been roped off and inside it were two men. One was stocky, but also tall and had spiral tattoos on his cheeks, there was sweat on his brow and his chest was heaving with each draw of air. He was slowly circling the other – brown spiky hair and red fang tattoos gracing his face. Naruto quirked an eyebrow at that and absently raised fingers to his own "whiskers". The brunette grinned ferally at the other and launched himself in a series of swift attacks, using fist, foot and weapons. The chubby man fended them all off, moving with surprising ease before swinging a massive fist that glanced off the ribs of the fang-boy.

He was sent tumbling to the ground, but he turned it into a roll and sprang back for another attack with a gleeful cackle.

Sitting on the sidelines was a massive hairy…thing, some sort of animal that stood at about chest height, watching the fight impassively, its tail wagging every so often whenever the brunette landed a good hit.

Naruto watched on in eager delight; he'd always loved fighting since it was the only time those from his village had looked at him with anything other than disgust. Well, originally, he'd only participated as a living punching bag, but he'd managed to literally fight his way up to the point where he was competing among equals as a fighter and not just an easy target. He'd managed to garner the respect of some, and the wariness of others. It had also been the only time until recently that he'd actually shared physical contact with anyone in any way describable.

Even now when he had Iruka and the Old woman he mostly held back his impulses to touch them, usually lacing his fingers behind his head to stop from lunging at them with a hug attack, except of course when the urge would become over powering and he was able to ignore the fear of being turned aside.

Naruto watched on, mouth slightly agape as the big one suddenly began his counter attacks and the red fang boy neatly dodged most every one with a speed and recklessness that was mesmerising.

"So troublesome," A voice next to him groaned. Naruto nearly jumped from his skin and hurriedly reaffirmed his grip on the rail to save himself from falling down. He looked up to see a figure on the other side of the fence, propped with his arms against the rail and his head tilted not toward the fight, but rather to the sky, a bored expression settling over his face.

"Hey," Naruto greeted, his face burning with embarrassment at being caught so inattentive. The man - no more than a boy, really - beside him turned to him, an eyebrow quirked up in greeting, the barest of smiles gracing his lips as he studied the blond.

"You're Naruto," he said, nodding his greeting. "Nara Shikamaru, tactics."

"Ah, yeah, good to meet you," Naruto replied, slightly off-balance by the man's demeanour. When nothing further was said, Naruto returned his attention to the fight, which seemed to have escalated in intensity since he'd last caught sight of it.

From beside him came a weary sigh and muttered, as though more to himself than for Naruto's benefit, "they always get like this…they could keep going for hours if we let them." Shikamaru stepped away from the fence, hands sliding naturally into the pockets of his trousers and he called out a halt to the fight in progress.

The two in the centre stopped, though the fang boy threw in an extra punch as the other's guard dropped. He burst into laughter and quickly sidestepped the immediate fist that came flying towards him in retaliation.

"Kiba, Chouji, enough for today, come meet Naruto," Shikamaru ordered, shrugging idly towards Naruto who covered his sudden shyness with a grin so wide and bright that it almost startled the others as they approached.

Kiba, the fang boy sauntered up to him and Shikamaru with an aggressive look of disbelief on his face.

He turned to Shikamaru after a silent moment of contemplation and said, "Thought you said he was a warrior," then he smirked arrogantly at Naruto.

"Hey! I _AM_ a warrior! Believe it!" Kiba raised an eyebrow archly and scoffed. Even Chouji the big, no _fat_ one seemed skeptical, though he had the politeness to not be so overt about it.

"You don't look it," Kiba returned.

"So what? Doesn't mean I'm not!" Naruto protested keenly aware that Kiba's attention was focused on the length of his hair, like that made him unfit to fight or something. Everyone in his village had long hair, bar a very few exceptions. Some of the best warriors in fact had hair as long if not longer than his. Though he'd never admit to being fond of it, he'd found that with the absence of his tail, he'd come to play with it more and more, it being almost like a link to his own world.

"Oh yeah? Prove it!" Kiba challenged loudly.

"You're on!" He shouted back. He clumsily maneuvered through the railing and fell gracelessly as his foot caught on one of the posts. Amidst the laughter he climbed back to his feet, his face scarlet and he glared challengingly into the face of the men who'd all stopped to watch him and Kiba fight.

Naruto could feel the muscles in his legs quiver as he raised himself and wondered if he maybe shouldn't have run so much that morning, but he ignored the weakness in his limbs and made his way into the inner ring, nearly falling again as he passed through the ropes.

He formed a guard position similar to the stance Kiba held and stared fiercely at the brunette, silently daring him to do his worst.

"Ready?" Kiba asked mockingly.

"Always!" Naruto shouted backed, returning the sneer with an increasingly more excited grin of his own.

Without time even to blink, Kiba launched a powerful fist at Naruto that would have laid him out flat had he not managed to block it with his arms, crossed to guard his face, but the second fist that ploughed heavily and painfully into his side did knock him unceremoniously to the ground.

Laughter pealed through the air and Kiba barked harshly, "that all you got, Sunshine? Pathetic."

He turned to exit the arena and paused at the ropes to the sounds of rustling from behind him. Kiba slowly spun back round, grudgingly impressed that Naruto had managed to stand after being hit by him. His gold hair fell like a curtain around his face, parting only to display Naruto's left eye, a searing blue orb that burned fiercely with determination, a slightly crazed smile on his face.

Naruto held a hand to his side as he straightened, regarding Kiba with no less excitement and no more fear than before. Naruto laughed between each laboured breath and placed his hands on his hips and threw back Kiba's words to him. "That all _you _got? Eh, Fangs?"

Kiba growled inarticulately and launched himself at the blond, easily tackling him around the middle and bearing him to the ground yet again. However Naruto used their momentum and grabbing onto Kiba's wrists that had fisted in his vest, he flipped him onto his back before he released Kiba's arms and scurried out of range as the other recovered.

He sprang to his feet almost instantly in a move that Naruto envied as he had to slowly struggle to his own and barrelled towards him again. Naruto braced for impact and he waited, until he realised that no attack had occurred. He tried to turn the instant that he felt a kick to the back of his knee that made him stumble and fall painfully, though he was kept from falling face first onto the dirt by the grip in his hair. He felt no small satisfaction when he heard the yelp behind him and the muttered curse as the hand in his hair let go swiftly.

"What the hell, man, why do you have hooks tied in your hair?!" came the angry cry from behind him. Naruto managed to break his fall with his arms and he turned, lying on his side propped up by his forearms and favoured Kiba with a particularly nasty smile.

"To stop assholes from grabbing on, of course," he said blithely and in a fit of inspiration and a sudden burst of energy he swept a leg out and hooked Kiba's feet from beneath him.

Like all previous times Kiba recovered his footing almost immediately, though his face was now burning with more than the exertion. Naruto slowly pulled himself up on shaky legs and stood ready, fists back in a defensive guard position. His eyelids fluttered and he staggered a little, but maintained his balance if only barely. As Kiba approached his lids fell shut involuntarily, waiting for the impact he no longer had the strength to block.

"You, Sunshine, are some seriously crazy shit," Kiba chuckled and slung his arm around the blond, startling him. "Dude, you can barely stand and you're still willing to fight? If that ain't your normal warrior stupidity, I don't know what is."

Naruto wasn't too sure whether he should be insulted by the remark or not but simply chose to be grateful that he'd not had to endure another of Kiba's punches. Though he wasn't solidly built like Chouji, his physique similar to his own; what he lacked in muscle he made up for in pent up aggression.

A sudden hush fell over the training grounds, idle chatter and laughter halting and Naruto looked around curiously to see the cause.

"Sasuke!" He shrieked excitedly and in a sudden display of vim and vigour that shocked everyone present, weaved through the rope and launched himself over the fence, flinging his arms around Sasuke's neck all in a move that was so fast that most didn't have time to process their surprise before dawning horror settled around everyone.

Naruto was hugging Sasuke. _Naruto_ was hugging _Sasuke_. And _Sasuke_ hadn't killed him! The atmosphere was poised, waiting for the explosion, waiting for the call for the guards to apprehend their new friend and it was like the world had momentarily stopped spinning. Then…

"You're all sweaty," was the dark complaint.

Naruto yelped in embarrassment and quickly let go, lacing his fingers behind his head and grinning in silent apology. All looked on in shock as Sasuke simply turned slightly pink and cleared his throat, determined to ignore the blond.

He turned to Shikamaru and asked in quietly audible tones how training was proceeding. Shikamaru answered his questions diligently, but underneath it all his mind was churning, calculating and planning. Not planning for anything in particular, but something in the air – other than the general feelings of shock at the current events – scented of a coming storm or battle.

And in the centre of it all was an exuberant bouncing ball of sunshine, who, with the last burst of adrenaline wearing off, and Sasuke no longer paying attention to him, decided – or at least his body did – that then would be the perfect moment to collapse. And he did, unconscious, after a moment snoring gently as the days activities finally caught up with him.

Kiba walked up to him and roughly nudged him with a foot. With barely a twitch Naruto continued his sleep, curling slightly into a ball as he made himself comfortable on the hard packed earth.

Silence yet again reigned over the training yard before Sasuke ordered one of the guards to take the blond to his room. Chouji volunteered, slinging the resting form over his shoulder easily and carrying him like a sack of flour to the guest quarters.

Shikamaru, Sasuke and Kiba watch from the fence as Chouji disappeared from sight with varying levels of amusement. Kiba elbowed Shikamaru gently and with a wide smirk asked, "Can we keep him?"

He'd never been so entertained in such a long time. It'd be a shame to see Naruto go. Shikamaru replied with a roll of his eyes and turned to order the end of practice, watching with one eye as the guards slowly began the cleanup process.

"Tch."

"You highness?"

There was a long pregnant pause before Sasuke shook his head minutely. "Nothing," he said and without another word returned to the palace, chasing a beam of light.


	4. Because you're beautiful

_**A/N:**_ Ok guys, don't get too excited. I'm trying to write more, but it's been like pulling teeth - feels more like a chore than something I currently enjoy doing. So this chapter is made out of blood, sweat and tears....and a little snot, but that was only because I was a little sick while I was trying to write it, lol. Either way, I hope you enjoy teh chapter, even though it is a bit short.

* * *

Naruto woke slowly to a darkened room, unsure how long he'd slept, if it was night or early morning or even if it was the same day. He slowly opened his eyes and regarded the ceiling, content for the moment to simply lie there unwilling to move in case his muscles would protest.

He lethargically raised a hand to his eye to rub away the sleep and let a large yawn escape him. He licked dry lips after a moment and decided to finally get up and find out what the time – and day – was. His muscles did protest a little as he pushed himself up, but it was a good kind of hurt and he couldn't help the smile of satisfaction as it settled across his face.

He turned to the wide bay window that overlooked the distant ocean view and his breath caught in his throat. Silhouetted against the fading light was unmistakably Sasuke, shoulder resting against the window frame, arms folded in front as he stared motionlessly out the window.

The muted rustling of the bed sheets made him turn and though he could feel Sasuke's eyes on him, he couldn't see the expression. A shiver ran down Naruto's spine and he suddenly felt the urge to bury himself beneath the blankets, compromising by drawing them up around his shoulders.

"Hey," he murmured by way of greeting, his voice husky from sleep. "What time is it?"

"Just after seven. Are you hungry?"

Naruto nodded his reply enthusiastically as his stomach growled in concert.

"Hn." Sasuke muttered, a hint of amusement conveyed in that one short syllable. The prince stood and made his way to the open door and turned to regard the still sleepy Naruto who was yawning widely. "We're dining on the deck tonight and I expect you to join me in a half hour."

Fiery blue eyes blinked widely at Sasuke before narrowing and a muttered, _"so pushy," _rose from his huddled form as he curled back up into his blankets. The door closed with a muted click that cut off all outside sound and made the room stifling with its silence.

Naruto grabbed a lock of hair and began chewing on it as he thought about the prince. Sasuke wasn't like the men of his village at all. He wasn't even like the people that Naruto had met here on the surface either. There was something so unique and precious about him that it was becoming increasingly more difficult to refrain himself from touching Sasuke every time he saw him. Hell, who was he kidding? He couldn't stop touching him even when he made a concerted effort not to.

It wasn't necessarily a problem per say, only that the Plan involved seducing Sasuke - it did not involve Naruto actually becoming attached to the arrogant bastard. But as it was, he couldn't escape the irresistible pull toward him, like the tides to the moon.

Reluctantly he squirmed out of the sheets of his bed and made his way to the washroom to clean off the grime of the day. Later he'd bathe properly but right now with only a short time till he was expected at dinner, a quick wash with a damp scented cloth would have to do.

As he was finishing up, he caught his reflection in the looking glass and was again struck with unfamiliarity. No matter how many times he saw himself, it was always startling. There'd really been nothing like these mirrors in his village. The closest he'd come were the mirrors in the dead ships that were encrusted with grime and often so broken and rusted that it was lucky to make out a vague shape let alone his own face. Even his colour had been hidden from him in those shards, distorted by the depth of the water and the filtered light that barely reached that far. It was mesmerising, seeing this almost human face that was so foreign to him twitch and react and follow his movements.

Naruto shook himself and quickly left the room. It wasn't that he was obsessed with his reflection but it had gotten him thinking the first time he'd seen himself, thoughts that plagued him all the way to the dinner table.

It would have sat about twelve people quite comfortably and quite a few more for an intimate sort of dinner, but today the table was set for two. Sasuke sat in his chair at the head of the table and the chair to his left had been set. Naruto felt a giddy thrill squirm down to his toes and he had to suppress a guilty shudder as he caught sight of the prince.

Sasuke was looking out over the harbour as he was wont to do, the candlelight illuminating his face with a warm glow and a gentle breeze stirred the hair from his face. His gaze seemed lost in the ocean, his expression as indiscernible as ever, though Naruto could almost feel the slight sense of melancholy that radiated from his posture.

Before he'd even realised that he'd moved, Naruto had come up behind the Prince and wrapped his arms around his neck in a gentle hug, his face pressed to the sensitive flesh of Sasuke's neck. He felt him flinch in his grasp and Naruto nuzzled him softly in response before hesitantly drawing back.

When he took his seat it was to be greeted with a wide-eyed puzzled stare and slight blush from the monarch, like he didn't know how to take Naruto's actions. The blond somehow managed to keep the amusement off his face but smiled toothily at Sasuke, no doubt looking like a fool, but too high from the thrill of touching him that he couldn't have removed the grin if he'd tried.

"You shouldn't do that," Sasuke reprimanded, sounding gruff and yet uncertain.

"Do you hate it?" Naruto asked quizzically, cocking his head to the side.

"Well, no I-"

"If you don't hate it, and it's not hurting you, then why should I not do it?"

"Well, because its-"

"I like hugging you," Naruto admitted, then smirked. "You look so cold and arrogant all the time, it's a nice surprise when you're so warm."

Sasuke glared at him for that last comment then cleared his throat. "Are all the people in your family like that?" he questioned.

"Um...I don't know?"

Sasuke perked at this. "What do you mean you don't know?" he questioned.

"I don't have a family. I mean, I've got friends and all, but not an actual..family, family. And I pretty much raised myself, so I have no idea what they'd be like," Naruto responded with a shrug and wide grin.

Sasuke's frown deepened as he took in Naruto's strained expression. He was beginning to notice a certain nuance with Naruto's smiles, a little hint that they weren't always as genuine as any outsider would consider them. He almost had him fooled. But there was a certain sense of lacking when you studied his eyes.

Sasuke almost felt bad for asking, though he didn't say it. He remained silent and slowly the smile quietly erode from Naruto's face, he diverted his gaze over the balcony and at the swiftly approaching night sky that was reflected in the calm waters of the ocean. The quiet stretched between them uncharacteristically. Usually Naruto would have rushed to fill the void, but the earlier cafard that had settled over Sasuke seemed to have infected the normally rambunctious blond.

They were both saved from the ever increasing oppressive atmosphere by the arrival of the servants with dinner and the light rekindled in Naruto's eyes as he gazed over the food lovingly. Nothing, _nothing_ he'd ever eaten before coming here could compare with the amount of flavours and varieties that he'd found here. He was almost certain that he'd gain weight if he wasn't careful. Something that he'd never live down if the others of his village saw him. Though he supposed Tsunade would be happy; she had always been concerned with his weight, claiming him too thin for his own good.

"Itadakimasu!" Naruto cried happily and picked began tucking into the food with gusto. Sasuke smirked in amusement as he attempted his plate with more restraint. It was simple fare; beef sausages served with a red wine sauce, mashed potatoes and green beans but with the enthusiasm that Naruto showed anyone would have been mistaken for thinking that it was a four course gourmet dinner.

The blond had hoed through three quarters of his meal and Sasuke still had yet to touch half his food. It was almost fascinating watching Naruto inhale the food and it distracted him enough from his own that it sat going cool as Sasuke wondered where all that food went. In a way it was sort of gruesome, but it also told him that perhaps food wasn't always in great supply wherever it was that Naruto has hailed from. Just another piece to add to the puzzle.

Sasuke blinked in surprise as Naruto burped appreciatively and leant back in his chair, the plate before him had nothing more than a left over sauce smudge as evidence that it had even been used. The prince raised an eyebrow at him, which Naruto responded to with a small grin. With a shrug he said,"I was hungry?"

Sasuke stifled a chuckle, passing it off by clearing his throat, though by the twinkling in Naruto's eyes and the satisfied grin on his face he'd been caught out. Sasuke returned to his own meal, eating at a more sedate pace and was grateful when instead of chattering nonstop as Naruto seemed ever capable of, he stayed quiet, absently playing with his incredibly long flaxen hair.

Once he'd eaten his fill, Sasuke placed his knife and fork in the crossed position on his plate with a muted clatter and dabbed at the corner of his mouth with his napkin. As if it were a signal, Naruto's distracted gaze suddenly honed in on the prince and it was like watching some dead thing suddenly spring back to life. He leant on the table, his head propped up in his hands as he openly stared at Sasuke. It was a little disconcerting; the acute awareness he was being paid and Sasuke was only now getting used to the sensation. It wasn't bad and it wasn't like how others often looked at him. It was curiosity and burgeoning affection and - to his annoyance - amusement. The only person who ever gave him that same expression was Kakashi and his held subtle paternal overtones.

All of sudden, Naruto squinted at him, studying his face for a moment before touching his own.

"Do you think I'm attractive?" He asked curiously. Sasuke nearly choked on the mouthful of wine he'd just drunk. He coughed to clear his airways, eyes watering.

"Pardon?"

"You know, am I normal looking? Do I look attractive to you?"

"Why do you ask?" Sasuke asked defensively, his pulse starting to race, face heating. Sasuke was grateful that the candle light was dim enough to conceal the redness in his cheeks. Naruto shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know...I guess that I've never really seen myself before, so when I saw my reflection, I just wondered if I looked....acceptable," he replied, averting his eyes.

_More than acceptable. _"If you hadn't noticed, I'm a man," Sasuke deadpanned. Naruto pulled a face, quirking an eyebrow.

"What's that got to do with it?" Naruto asked, puzzled. Sasuke felt a shock run through him as he stared at Naruto's open face. He couldn't be serious.

"Well, Naruto, normally men don't find other men attractive and it's not something that one would ask of another man," he said as though explaining it to a dim-witted child.

"How come?"

"Because it's not normal!" Sasuke snapped.

Naruto snorted and shifted in his chair. "Meh, sounds boring. I'd rather not be normal then," Naruto paused and contemplated a moment. If he'd been a lesser person and not an Uchiha, Sasuke might have squirmed in his seat at the scrutiny. He remained immobile, stiff and almost in dread over the conclusion that Naruto would eventually arrive at. "I think you're attractive."

Sasuke blanched and it felt like his heart dropped into his stomach; it was a simultaneously thrilling and worrying sensation. He found he couldn't respond so remained silent, staring opened mouth at Naruto, disbelief clearly written across his brow.

"No it's true," Naruto insisted. "I've met heaps of people, men and women and you're the by far the most beautiful person I've ever seen."

"Men aren't beautiful," Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the blond. He'd had people tell him that before and it had been insulting and emasculating. They'd treated him like some fragile doll but above all they'd assumed that he was weak and feminine. He was happy to prove them wrong as it was one of the few things that could really get under his skin but he hated the word with a passion and he hated being associated with it. "Flowers are beautiful. Women are beautiful. Men are not."

Naruto stood from his chair and leaned in closely to Sasuke, carefully letting his eyes trail the face that was taut with anger. Inwardly he was cursing. Clearly he'd hit a nerve; he'd not even really been thinking about what he was saying from a strategic point of view but now he wished that he'd held his tongue on this count. It was the truth, though. No one he'd met had ever affected him as much as Sasuke did. With an internal shrug Naruto voiced his thoughts on the matter. _In for a penny.._."Hmm...I think you're wrong. Because you _are_ beautiful and you most certainly _are _a man."

Sasuke shot angrily to his feet with surprising speed. Naruto rocked back on his heels and tried to maintain his balance. There was barely a breath between the two, which sent a shudder down Naruto's spine and made Sasuke's eyes widen at their unintentional proximity. It took him a moment to collect himself and his anger returned. He stood taller, "I am _not _weak!"

Naruto took a step back and eyed the heavily breathing prince. His fists were clenched at his sides and his eyes were burning, practically flashing red. Naruto's brow creased in confusion and he nervously chewed on his lip. "I never said you were," he finally responded.

Sasuke's glare fell apart and the breath halted in his chest. Anxiously Sasuke's eyes travelled over Naruto's expression, determined to find the lie on his face. Concern and unabashed honesty shone back. It wasn't a look that could have been faked; the boy meant every word of it. The realisation came with a sense of dread; in front of him stood the only person who had ever continually surprised him, exceeded Sasuke's set of high expectations and thrown him into such inner turmoil. And he was becoming...attached to him.

He was so used to people thinking of him only as the poor little prince - a delicate thing, an ornament that they could look at and pity, but never considered beyond that. He'd had noblewomen - and men alike desire him, only to belittle him and think him malleable, easy to bend to their own designs. It wasn't an easy thing to hear that Naruto thought him beautiful and not question the man's motives or his sincerity.

Naruto resumed his own, still watching over him with concern. Sasuke's brow creased in a frown. It seemed almost impossible that anyone could like him, desire him and not want something from him.

/

He refused to allow the surge of affection from taking hold, however, and he forced the anger back to the fore.

"What do you want?" He demanded, his voice low and dangerous.

Naruto scratched his chin and pondered the question for a moment, taking his time and thinking it through thoroughly. He nodded once his mind was made up and he smiled beatifically. "Dessert!"

Sasuke froze in surprise before issuing a groan. The tense atmosphere dissipated like an early morning mist as did his frustration. He sank back into his seat, feeling exhausted as though he'd run a great distance. Indulgently, Sasuke gestured to the attendant who immediately bowed and made his way to the kitchens. Naruto cheered and lunged forward to wrap his arms around Sasuke in an enthusiastic hug. Sasuke yelped in surprise.

"Ah, you're so good to me, Sasuke!"

"Yes, yes. Naruto, get off me," Sasuke ordered, his voice rising in pitch. Naruto pulled back to grace him with a pout but didn't let go. In fact he sat himself down on Sasuke's thigh and glared like a spoilt child.

"Naruto, now! This isn't acceptable! Or normal!"

The blond huffed and extracted himself from Sasuke's lap and slumped back into his own chair.

"What's so great about normal, anyway?" Naruto glared at him challengingly.

"I'm a prince. I can't afford to be considered abnormal or weak," he explained.

"How does being hugged make you look abnormal?"

"Oh my dear god! What planet are you from? How many times to I have to say it? Men don't hug other men!"

"Why not?"

"Because they just don't!"

"Why?"

"Argh! You're so infuriating! What will it take to get you to shut up for just one God's blessed moment?!" Sasuke raged, unable to contain his aggravation.

"Hmm...you could kiss me?" Naruto suggested blankly. Sasuke felt a muscle twitch below his left eye. It took every ounce of training he had to not reach over and strangle the frustrating blond. If he still didn't have his doubts that Naruto was not a merman, he'd have had him thrown out - or in the dungeon - by this point already.

Luckily, the arrival of dessert defused all thoughts of murderous intent and Sasuke discovered a much less challenging way to shut Naruto up. Food. The dessert tonight was trifle. Sasuke had never been large on sugary foods and abstained himself, though watched with morbid fascination as Naruto wolfed down his, getting cream all over his mouth and chin.

His thoughts turned rather salacious as Naruto began sucking off the excess cream that he'd managed to get on his fingers, his cheeks hollowing around his digits. Sasuke clasped his knees together and averted his gaze, though he couldn't help the glimpses that he caught from his peripheral vision. If etiquette didn't dictate that he remain seated, he would have rushed off to have some "personal reflection" time. He was never so grateful as when Naruto had wiped off the rest of the cream from his face with the napkin.

Naruto leant back in his chair with a sigh and patted his stomach happily. The food here almost made up for the fact that he couldn't yet return home. His hand rose to his chest as a sudden pang of homesickness hit. It was never very far from his mind; Iruka, Tsunade, Sakura and all the others he cared about. He missed them so much that thoughts of them sometimes had him so consumed that he'd suddenly find himself in a room he'd never been to as he wandered through the manor over the past week. He wondered what they were up to, if they missed him, if the villagers' even noticed his absence with anything less then ambivalence.

Naruto was brought back to the real world as Sasuke stood from his chair and smoothed out his clothing.

"...I'll be going in to town tomorrow..." Sasuke admitted grudgingly. "Should you be interested, you're welcome to join me."

Surprised would definitely have been a good word to describe Naruto at that point. He'd thought that the monarch had only been tolerating him up until this point, but maybe he'd managed to worm his way into the rock that the prince called his heart. Naruto grinned happily and nodded his assent.

"Don't stay up too late, we're leaving early. If you're not up we'll be going without you," Sasuke warned. He left the balcony without another word and Naruto watched him till he disappeared from sight. It was with great restraint that Naruto remained seat and did not follow the prince back to his personal bed chamber. With Sasuke's affairs of state, he hadn't had that much of a chance to spend time with him, which in itself was an impediment to The Plan, but more then that he just wanted to break through the shell that Sasuke had encased his heart in. He wanted to shatter it, break the him down until he was defenseless and vulnerable and open.

Naruto wanted to know every part of the man who adamantly held onto the childish (though accurate) belief that Mermaids existed and pursued that dream so relentlessly. On the front, Sasuke seemed like such a cold, indifferent sort of person. However, Naruto had seen the fire burning in his eyes tonight as they'd argued over words. It hinted at a greater passion than Sasuke ever allowed to show but Naruto was determined to uncover it.

A harsh wind blew off from the sea and pushed savagely at Naruto, his hair tangling with the salt laden gale. It smelled of the sea and of water in the air. Naruto turned his gaze to the inky black landscape beyond the balcony and immediately noticed the stars had disappeared. The storm had crept up on them with very little warning. Naruto stood and retreated into the house, swiftly making his way through the corridors to his room.

He was not two doors away from his own when a flash of light filtered through the windows and brought the hallway into sharp relief. It was followed by a resounding crack that was so loud it sounded as if it came from directly above Naruto's head. He shrieked and dropped to the ground in fright as a great rumbling, like a fierce animal growling reverberated and echoed through the now dark hallway. Arms thrown protectively about his head and each muscle shivering Naruto remained in place till the last echo died away before scuttling those extra metres to his door.

Another flash of lighting and a resounding boom of thunder had him scrabbling desperately at the handle and the moment the door opened Naruto launched himself towards his bed and slipped underneath it, yanking the blanket dangling off the side down with him. This was the first time he'd ever seen a storm above water and he had never imagined it to be so terrifying.

Naruto was glad now that he hadn't followed the prince. He'd never have lived down the shame of being so frightened of something so simple and natural as a storm. A crack of thunder had him squeezing his eyes tightly shut and clenching his teeth. He pressed his hands to his ears to block out the angry growls. He'd never heard such noises before. The window was rattling in its casing at the brutal treatment of the oncoming winds and abruptly a deluge of rain began hammering on the tiled roof and battering heavily at the glass panes. And over it all was the boom crash rumble of thunder that accompanied each lightning strike that crackled through the heavy atmosphere. Each sound had him flinching and the instinctual fear to hide refused to leave him. He whimpered as the tempest continued to rage above, though he was safe and warm inside the manor. It didn't matter that he was secure in his room, in the manor, under the bed. He wanted at that very moment to be home in his little hut at the bottom of the sea where the cries of the angry sky never seemed to reach.

It was official; he hated storms.

oOo


End file.
